Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family Action, the lobbying organization created in 2004 by Focus on the Family ministry founder James Dobson, changed its name and logo Wednesday to CitizenLink.

Dobson set up Focus on the Family Action as a nonprofit organization legally separate from his media ministry on child rearing.

Focus on the Family Action was a 501(c)(4), the type of organization that could carry out the kind of direct, vigorous political advocacy Dobson said was necessary to fend off “the attack from social and political liberals that is tearing families apart.”

From the beginning, some confusion about the exact identities and missions of the two similarly named organizations has existed in the general public and media, said Tom Minnery, Focus vice president of public policy.

“We want to create some clarity about the two organizations. It’s better branding,” said Focus president and chief executive Jim Daly.

CitizenLink is a recognized brand, Daly said. Focus on the Family ministry already calls its magazine Citizen. And Focus on the Family Action’s electronic newsletter is called CitizenLink.

Daly said the rebranding was not an attempt to distance Focus on the Family’s ministry from its strong political advocacy, including opposition to abortion rights, same-sex marriage and embryonic stem-cell research.

“We’re not saying (Focus on the Family) is stepping out of the public policy realm,” Daly said. “From my perspective, it means Focus on the Family can focus on the family, and CitizenLink can do its job of engaging the citizenry.”

All the conservative Christian social values championed by Dobson will remain “the pillars” of both Focus on the Family and CitizenLink, Minnery said.

Yet Daly’s approach to ministry has been seen as more compassionate than that of his polarizing predecessor.

Dobson stepped down as Focus president and CEO in 2003. He resigned as chairman of the board in February 2009, and, a year later at age 73, he ended his radio broadcasts for Focus on the Family at the request of the Focus board.

Daly said the new name is not part of any overhauling of the ministry’s image.

“Organizations always change and innovate,” Daly said, “but there has been no deliberate effort to change since Dobson’s departure.”

IRS code necessitated the 2004 creation of Focus’ separate political arm. The tax code limits the activities of a ministry or any 501(c)(3) nonprofit with regard to ballot measures, legislation and candidacies.

For example, under the ministry’s banner, Dobson said he couldn’t rally his radio listeners to pressure members of Congress to the same extent that the new organization could.

But donations to a lobbying organization are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income-tax purposes.

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